Today, 5 February 2026, local community group Hearts For My Local Hospital is celebrating four years of providing comfort to grieving families in Bloxwich, West Midlands. The group creates pairs of matching knitted or crocheted hearts for patients who are at the end of their lives and for their relatives.
One heart stays with the patient in the hospital, while the second heart is kept by the family as a lasting memory of their loved one. The project began in early 2022 and relies on a local network of volunteers, including lead supporter Susi Long, who helps gather and distribute the handmade gifts to those in need.
The group supplies hearts that are accepted by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust for distribution at Walsall Manor Hospital; a 2025 Well Wishers appeal confirmed the trust and its charity accept and distribute knitted/crocheted hearts to patients and families. By providing a physical connection between families and their relatives, the initiative helps people feel less alone during their final moments together.
These knitted gifts are supported by the hospital’s official charity, Well Wishers, which runs the Fundraising Hub in the Manor Hospital atrium and helps manage incoming donations. Over the past four years, the small grassroots group has become a valued part of the local support system for Bloxwich residents facing the loss of a family member.
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